The Creston Police Department took reports about a theft and incident of vandalism, Wednesday. A resident told Police that sometime between 10-p.m. Saturday and 9:30-a.m. Wednesday, someone took a black 2010 R&W trailer from the 200 block of N. Cedar Street. The loss was estimated at $2,500.

And, a Creston resident living in the 200 block of N. Oak Street, said someone broke out a window in the rear of her home. The incident, which happened at around 8:50-p.m., Wednesday, resulted in a loss of about $100.

FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say a man whose body was found in a field near Fort Dodge was a homicide victim. The Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner says 51-year-old Donald Preston, of Fort Dodge, was shot to death by someone.

The Iowa Criminal Investigation Division said Wednesday that Preston had last been seen by relatives in Fort Dodge on Dec. 22. The discovery of his body was reported Monday morning, and authorities it appeared to have been in the field overnight. No arrests have been reported.

At least six people have died in traffic crashes in Iowa since the start of the Christmas to New Year’s holiday period. That has increased the total number of roadway fatalities this year to 397. Iowa State Patrol Sergeant Nate Ludwig says it’s the most traffic deaths recorded in the state in eight years. “We haven’t been over 400 since 2008. Right now, the traffic fatality count is 397 and that is 82 more than last year at this time,” Ludwig says. The rise in traffic fatalities is blamed on three main factors; distracted drivers, motorists not wearing seat belts, and speeding.

“We’ve seen a lot of fatalities this year that have been attributed to high speed,” Ludwig says. “We’re not talking about just barely speeding…this is 80 to 90 miles an hour.” Ludwig believes too many people “take driving for granted” and are overly aggressive. “Everybody is in a hurry, they wait until the last minute to leave, and then they try to make up time,” Ludwig says. “I spoke with some Troopers in the Des Moines area who said that they’ve never seen so many vehicle on Christmas Eve, Christmas day, and the day after traveling at 80, 90, 100 miles an hour on the interstate.” Ludwig says while the number of traffic deaths this year in Iowa is appalling, it’s not just a number.

“It doesn’t click with people, but this number is somebody’s loved one, somebody’s wife, husband, parent…and it’s an alarming number,” Ludwig says.

(Radio Iowa)